Inflatable barriers for watercourses

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to inflatable barrier means for retaining water in a watercourse, for example a river, and of the kind comprising at least one inflatable enclosure secured to an element anchored directly or indirectly in such watercourse and constructed in such a fashion as to prevent erosion. In order to enable the barrier means to be easily removed from the watercourse, for example to be used in another location, the invention provides means for anchoring the enclosure in relation to the watercourse bed, and this means incorporates an anchoring strip of supple material such as rubber that is securable to the bed, and this strip has a free extremity or edge provided with one or more means for removably connecting the barrier to said strip. The anchoring strip may be secured to a rigid member arranged to be laid down in the soil of the bed of the watercourse and this rigid member may take the form of a block of masonry. Alternatively, the anchoring strip may be embedded in the soil of the bed of the watercourse by digging out a transverse trench using the removed aggregates to form a temporary dam, laying the anchoring strip in the trench preferably at an angle of 45* to the plane of the bed, and then filling up the trench with the aggregates previously dug out, thus to secure the strip in relation to the soil of the bed.

nited States Patent 1191 Ganzinotti [4 1 Dec. 24, 1974 INFLATABLEBARRIERS FOR WATERCOURSES [75] Inventor: Jean-Victor Ganzinotti, Brive,

France 22 Filed: Oct. 18, 1973 21 Appl. No.: 407,502

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Oct. 18,1972 France 7 2. 9 7

Oct. 18,1972 France ..72.369l8 Oct. 18, 1972 France ..72.369l9 [52] US.Cl. 61/29, 61/30 [51] Int. Cl E02b 7/04 [58] Field of Search 61/30, 32,33, 29, 4, 5

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,246,474 4/1966 Mesnager61/30 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,375,854 9/1964 France 61/30Primary ExaminerW. C. Reynolds Assistant ExaminerPhilip C. KannanAttorney, Agent, or Firm-Brisebois & Kruger Water [57] ABSTRACT Thisinvention relates to inflatable barrier means for retaining water in awatercourse, for example a river, and of the kind comprising at leastone inflatable enclosure secured to an element anchored directly orindirectly in such watercourse and constructed in such a fashion as toprevent erosion.

In order to enable the barrier means to be easily removed from thewatercourse, for example to be used in another location, the inventionprovides means for anchoring the enclosure in relation to thewatercourse bed, and this means incorporates an anchoring strip ofsupple material such as rubber that is securable to the bed, and thisstrip has a free extremity or edge provided with one or more means forremovably connecting the barrier to said strip.

The anchoring strip may be secured to a rigid member arranged to be laiddown in the soil of the bed of the watercourse and this rigid member maytake the form of a block of masonry. Alternatively, the anchoring stripmay be embedded in the soil of the bed of the watercourse by digging outa transverse trench using the removed aggregates to form a temporarydam, laying the anchoring strip in the trench preferably at an angle of45 to the plane of the bed, and then filling up the trench with theaggregates previously dug out, thus to secure the strip in relation tothe soil of the bed.

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INFLATABLE BARRIERS FOR WATERCOURSES The present invention relates toinflatable barriers of the kind comprising a flexible enclosure which isapplied against thebed of a watercourse such as a river, and is theninflated by filling it with water, either to form a screen and create awater retention means, the overflow of the water discharging over theenclosure, or for causing the course of the water to deviate if thebarrier is positioned so as not totally to traverse the watercourse.

The use of inflatable barriers is extremely interesting both becausethey allow modification with precision of the level of the watercourseor the river in which they are positioned and because their positioningis simple and quick.

Despite the advantages associated with the use of such inflatablebarriers, however, they are only rarely used in practice. This stemsfrom the fact that such inflatable barriers have hitherto been anchoredto the bed of the watercourse or the river by means which are not verysatisfactory, because they are difficult to put in position and thenagain, their application is limited.

Thus, for example, it is known to anchor the inflatable enclosure to ablock of masonry or stonework by several wedges, clamps or similarfixing devices secured by bolts or pins previously sealed into thestone. Fixing devices of this kind do not allow a simple attachment orremoval of the enclosure.

Often the inflatable enclosure is made up by folding on itself a thickrubber strip and applying firmly one on the other the two superimposededges which are imprisoned on the one hand between the masonry blockanchored in the river, and, on the other hand, a rigid metal plate,wedge or clamp which is locked against the two superimposed edges of thestrip of rubber and against the masonry block by means of screws andbolts or pins sealed into the said block; using the same means, theenclosure is made water-tight as well as being fixed in relation to thewatercourse.

Sometimes, the inflatable barrier is a thick rubber tube which has acushion along one of its generatrices, similar to the beaded edges of atyre, which is inserted in a rigid profiled member fixed by screws andbolts to the masonry block.

The attachment and removal followed by a reattachment of such inflatableenclosures are complicated operations, if only due to the deformation ofthe fixing means, arising out of the circumstances to which they aresubmitted during the time the enclosure has been in service, and to thefact that it is in practice necessary to render the river dry, forexample to seal new bolts into the stonework mass or to form and/or tofix the new enclosure in the manner which has been described above.

Moreover, since it is in practice impossible to insert between themasonry block and the metal plate more than two layers to render theenclosure water-tight, it is necessary to effect water-tightness byutilising thick rubber layers so that they shall resist both theabrasion which is brought about by friction on the bed, and the erosionand the various shocks caused by objects in the water on its upper face.

It is, therefore, an object of the invention to remove or minimise thesedrawbacks, and in addition to offer other advantages in certainembodiments thereof.

These and other objects and advantages will become apparent in what isto follow.

In barriers according to the invention, the inflatable enclosures are inthe form of water-tight tubes and having along one generatrix one ormore extensions by which the barriers are fixed by removable fixingmeans to a supple strip itself directly or indirectly fixed to the bedof the watercourse. Barriers according to the invention, are constitutedby one or more inflatable enclosures which are removably associated witha supple strip, for example of rubber, itself directly or indirectlyfixed to the bed of the river.

This latter strip may be connected to a masonry block anchored in thewatercourse which moreover prevents erosion; it is thus indirectly fixedto the watercourse. It may alternatively be embedded in the bed of thewatercourse so as to be anchored there and prevent erosion; in thiscase, it is fixed directly to the watercourse.

The connection of the inflatable enclosure to the strip fixed to theriver can be effected by any known means that allow it to be removable;for example, there may be rapid connection means such as a slidingclosure, a closing member of the touch and close" type known under theRegistered Trade Mark VELCRO, or any other connecting means which isreadily remov able such as a system of hooks and eyelets. The supplestrip fixed directly or indirectly to the watercourse and made from amaterial which is rot-proof and is inert to water, remains in place andthereafter it is simple to remove the enclosure and replace it with anew one, since it is only necessary to operate the means connecting thisstrip to'the extensions with which the enclosure is provided.

This also allows the inflatable part of the barriers to be made moreeconomically and more appropriate for the service which is demanded ofthem. For example, the enclosure may be constituted by a simpleinflatable bladder which is not very thick and not in itself actuallyresistant to abrasion and erosion which keeps at the desired height amat which forms a screen and which protects the said bladder fromerosion. This bladder may also rest on another mat placed on the masonryblock or on the bed of the watercourse, the said mat protecting it fromabrasion.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood, severalembodiments thereof will now be described with reference to theaccompanying drawings by way of example, and in which;

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional through a barrier according to the inventionfixed to the bed of a watercourse by the intermediary of a masonryblock,

FIG. 2 is a cross-section through a second embodiment of barrierpositioned on another form of masonry block,

FIG. 3 is a cross-section through a third embodiment of barrierpositioned on a masonry block,

FIG. 4 is a cross-section through another embodiment which is fixed bythe intermediary of a mat embedded in the bed of the watercourse,

FIG. 5 is a cross-section which shows the barrier of FIG. 4 beinginstalled,

FIG. 6 is a cross-section which shows traction tests on the mat of FIGS.4 and 5 embedded in aggregates,

FIG. 7 is a cross-section at the front face of a modular barrier meansin accordance with the invention, and

FIGS. 8 and 9 show in plan two inclined barriers made in accordance withthe invention.

Referring now to the drawings, in order to instal the barrier shown inFIG. 1 there is previously formed at the bottom of a watercourse, aconcrete apron or beam 10 to which there are fixed, for example, by ragbolts 11, a supple connecting strip 12 constituted by a layer of rubberor similar material.

The downstream edge of this strip incorporates one part of a removableconnecting means to which is fixed the complimentary part of the saidconnecting means, the said part being secured to or integral with anextension strip 13a which forms part of an inflatable enclosure 13. Inthis case, the extension 13a which is continuous, extends along thewhole of the length of the enclosure and the connecting means is in thisembodiment constituted by hooks 14 which are S-shaped and whose ends areintroduced into eyelets 15 and 16 provided on the free edges of theextension strips 13a and of the anchoring strip 12. The enclosures mayequally well have several extensions regularly disposed along the samegeneratrix. The removable connecting means 14 may equally well beconstituted by sliding closure means of synthetic material preferablyinsensitive or only slightly sensitive to water and to themicroorganisms which it contains. This means may, however, take otherforms, for example, it may be a closure of the touch and close type(VELCRO) or, in fact, any other connecting means found convenient.

Thus, the inflatable enclosure 13 of the barrier may be easily andrapidly attached and removed. If the barrier is to be removed, then theanchoring mat 12 is left on the apron or beam 10 and the enclosure 13may be used again by fixing it to another mat secured to another apronor beam elsewhere in the same watercourse or in another watercourse.

The barrier shown in FIG. 2 is constituted by a masonry block 15, onepart of which lies above or overhangs the bed of the watercourse; theinflatable enclosure 16 is fixed to the top of this block 15. A fixingstrip 17 for fixing the enclosure 16 to the block 15 comprises a supplemat fixed to the upstream face 15a of the block 15, and is connected tothe inflatable enclosure by means of an extension strip 16a by removableconnecting means 18 similar to those described above in connection withFIG. 1.

The inflatable barrier shown in FIG. 3 constitutes another embodiment ofthe invention which is schematically represented. A part thereof 20constituting a supple assembly which is located in the river to form thebarrier, comprises a plurality of elements each one of which isindividually connected in a removable manner to an anchoring strip 21fixed to a masonry block shown at 19. In this embodiment, the anchoringstrip 21 has on its upper edge a plurality of strips so as to permit theconnection of the elements of the part 20. In this embodiment, the part20 of the barrier includes an anti-abrasion mat 20a located on the topof the block 19 and fixed by a removable connecting means 22 to a strip21a which is secured to or integral with the anchoring strip 21. On thismat 20a where rests an enclosure of bladder 20b having an extension 20cwhich is fixed by a removable connecting means 23 to another strip 21bof the anchoring strip 21. The inflatable bladder 20b supports on itsupper face a supple mat 20d fixed by means of a removable connectionmeans to the anchoring strip 21 by the intermediary of another strip 21cfixed to or integral with the anchoring strip. The mat 20d which is notconnected to the upper part of the bladder 20b has an excellentresistance to objects which fall over the barrier and thus protects thatpart of the bladder against which it is applied. It is thus similarlyprotected as the lower part of this bladder which is protected by themat 20a against abrasion which is due to permanent friction or rubbingof its lower face against the concrete or aggregates of the block 19.

The inflatable enclosure 20b is water-tight but not requiring to haveany resistance either to abrasion or shock, it may be relatively thinwhich makes it very simple to place in position. Its function is tolocate and keep in place at the desired height, the mat 20d which thewater constantly applies against its upper face. By its inflation anddeflation, the bladder 20b raises or lowers the mat 2011' on which theabrasion and shocks of the water reservoir are exerted.

The mats 20a and 20d may each be constituted by a sheet of rubber whichis only slightly abradent provided with a reinforcement which, forexample, may be of metal, and such mats are simple to make and to placein position.

The removable connecting means 22, 23 and 24 of the mats 20a and 20d aswell as ofthe bladder 2012 may, as described above, be constituted bysliding fastening devices so that attachment and removal of the parts isextremely rapid. They may equally well be made by any other means suchas S-shaped hooks whose ends are introduced into eyelets formed alongthe edges of the two elements to be connected together.

Instead of previously making a masonry block to which the anchoringstrip or mat is positively connected, this anchoring strip or mat may beembedded in the bed of the watercourse so that it may be used as ananchoring means for the barrier and as means for sealing off the soil,to eliminate any risk of erosion. The strip or mat which has a sizelarger than when it is fixed on a beam or apron may, for example, bemade from rubber or any other similar material and may include areinforcing member which may, for example, be constituted by metalcables.

The mat offers resistance to tearing-out stresses which varies, for thesame length of mat embedded in the ground, in dependance upon the angleformed by the mat to the horizontal. It has been found that thesestresses are at a maximum when this angle is in the vicinity of 45.Surprisingly, these tearing-out stresses to which the mat offersresistance are quite high: about 200 daN per metre of length measuredtransversely with respect to the river when 0.05 metres is embedded inthe bed of the watercourse at an angle with the horizontal in thevicinity of 45.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 4 and 5, the supple enclosure 25 is connectedupstream to a mat 26 that is embedded in the soil of the watercourse andinclined towards the upstream direction at an angle A of about 45 withthe bed of the watercourse. In order to locate the mat 26 of the barrierthere is hollowed out into the watercourse bed a transverse trench 27 asis shown in FIG. 5. This trench has a depth appropriate to suit thelower part of the mat to be positioned; the mat 26 is applied againstthe downstream face of the trench and the aggregate material shown at 28taken out by the hollowing of the trench, is then put back in place tofill the trench.

This operation of locating the carpet is facilitated by placing-theaggregate materials shown at 28 on the upstream side which allows theformation of a dam over part of the height at least and then the mat 26can be put in position without difficulty in calm water or water whichis only slightly disturbed.

At the time of installation of the barrier, it is preferable that theenclosure be connected to the mat 26 and also that the enclosure becompletely deflated as is shown in FIG. 5. When the mat 26 is held inplace by the aggregate material 28 which has been put back into thetrench 27, the enclosure 25 may be placed in position and be inflated inorder to put the barrier into commission.

It has been found that the type of anchoring using a supple mat, such asthe mat 26, will resist in a surprising manner any traction stressesimposed by the barrier. The excellent resistance to tear-away stressesis no doubt due to the increased friction between the rubber and theaggregate materials and thus to the suppleness of the mat, which, byallowing it to adapt itself to the unevenness, increases the friction.

Tear-away tests carried out in the laboratory with a mat 1 metre square,having a thickness of 4.5mm, have produced the following results (themat being positioned at an angle of 45 in aggregate materials over whichhas passed a current of water).

In order to carry out these tests, there was fixed at the free end of amat 29, as shown in FIG. 6, a traction device, including a dynamometer30 as is schematically shown; then the mat 29 was pulled or torn outalong a line of movement represented by the direction of the arrow F.

In all the embodiments referred to above, the part forming the actualbarrier may be made up of several elements. For example, the barriershown in FIG. 7 is formed by a series of elements which may be simplymanufactured by mass production methods. It comprises bladders 31 placedend to end in a lateral direction, which bladders rest on mats 32 andsupport tipping mats 33; the mats and the bladders are in thisembodiment fixed to a masonry block 34 constructed over the whole widthof the river; the co-adjacent edges of the tipping mats overlap. Thebladders are in all cases of small length, for example, of the order of2 to 3 metres; this avoids the formulation of oscillatory movements andthus stresses one of the causes that often engender the rapiddestruction of inflatable barriers in use at this time.

In this embodiment, one mat 32 and one mat 33 are used for each bladder31, but it will be well understood that one mat 32, or one mat 33 may beused for a plurality of bladders if required.

The possibility of manufacturing the barriers in the form of modularelements ensures that not only a barrier of great length may be made,but that the barrier may be produced at a relatively low cost. Barriersaccording to the invention have numerous applications, for example, theymay be used as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 as inclined barriers placed acrossthe watercourse or as directing barriers, that is to say, to formobstacles to redirect the flow of water.

I claim:

I. In inflatable barrier means for retaining water in a watercourse,comprising at least one inflatable enclosure secured to an elementanchored directly or indirectly in the watercourse and constructed insuch a fashion as to prevent erosion, the improvement which consists inthat the means for anchoring the enclosure in relation to the bed of thewatercourse incorporates an anchoring strip of supple material securableto said bed and having a free extremity provided with one or more meansfor removably connecting said enclosure to said anchoring strip.

2. An inflatable barrier according to claim 1 wherein said strip issecured to a rigid member arranged to be laid down in the soil of thebed of the watercourse.

3. An inflatable barrier according to claim 1 wherein said strip isembedded in the soil of the bed of the watercourse.

4. An inflatable barrier according to claim 3 wherein said stripembedded in the soil forms an angle of about 45 with reference to theplane of the bed.

5. An inflatable barrier according to claim 1 wherein a mat is securedto an element anchored in said watercourse and extends over the upperface of said inflatable enclosure without being integral therewith, saidinflatable enclosure supporting said mat to form a screen against water,and for protecting said enclosure.

6. An inflatable barrier according to claim 1, wherein a mat is locatedbetween a lower face of said inflatable enclosure and said bed of saidwatercourse.

7. An inflatable barrier according to claim 1, wherein said connectingmeans for said anchoring strip comprises a sliding fastener.

8. An inflatable barrier according to claim 1, wherein said connectingmeans comprises hooks of S-shape cooperating with eyelets formed in theco-adjacent edges of the elements to be connected together.

9. An inflatable barrier according to claim 1, which comprises aplurality of inflatable barriers located end to end and at least one matsupported by said enclosures.

10. A method of installing an inflatable watercourse barrier accordingto claim 3, which method consists in hollowing out a trench transverselyof said watercourse, positioning aggregate materials constituted by thematerial dug out of said trench, upstream of said trench to constitute adam for holding back water in said watercourse, applying an anchoringmat against the downstream face of a wall of said trench and filling insaid trench by utilising the aggregate materials of said dam, thus tosecure said anchoring mat in position in said trench, whereupon at leastone inflatable enclosure is attached to said anchoring mat by removableconnecting means.

1. In inflatable barrier means for retaining water in a watercourse,comprising at least one inflatable enclosure secured to an elementanchored directly or indirectly in the watercourse and constructed insuch a fashion as to prevent erosion, the improvement which consists inthat the means for anchoring the enclosure in relation to the bed of thewatercourse incorporates an anchoring strip of supple material securableto said bed and having a free extremity provided with one or more meansfor removably connecting said enclosure to said anchoring strip.
 2. Aninflatable barrier according to claim 1 wherein said strip is secured toa rigid member arranged to be laid down in the soil of the bed of thewatercourse.
 3. An inflatable barrier according to claim 1 wherein saidstrip is embedded in the soil of the bed of the watercourse.
 4. Aninflatable barrier according to claim 3 wherein said strip embedded inthe soil forms an angle of about 45* with reference to the plane of thebed.
 5. An inflatable barrier according to claim 1 wherein a mat issecured to an element anchored in said watercourse and extends over theupper face of said inflatable enclosure without being integraltherewith, said inflatable enclosure supporting said mat to form ascreen against water, and for protecting said enclosure.
 6. Aninflatable barrier according to claim 1, wherein a mat is locatedbetween a lower face of said inflatable enclosure and said bed of saidwatercourse.
 7. An inflatable barrier according to claim 1, wherein saidconnecting means for said anchoring strip comprises a sliding fastener.8. An inflatable barrier according to claim 1, wherein said connectingmeans comprises hooks of ''S''-shape cooperating with eyelets formed inthe co-adjacent edges of the elements to be connected together.
 9. Aninflatable barrier according to claim 1, which comprises a plurality ofinflatable barriers located end to end and at least one mat supported bysaid enclosures.
 10. A method of installing an inflatable watercoursebarrier according to claim 3, which method consists in hollowing out atrench transversely of said watercourse, positioning aggregate materialsconstituted by the material dug out of said trench, upstream of saidtrench to constitute a dam for holding back water in said watercourse,applying an anchoring mat against the downstream face of a wall of saidtrench and filling in said trench by utilising the aggregate materialsof said dam, thus to secure said anchoring mat in position in saidtrench, whereupon at least one inflatable enclosure is attached to saidanchoring mat by removable connecting means.